The Corrupt Queen
by MadameMorganLeFay
Summary: Morgana is Queen of Camelot. Arthur has disappeared, along with his allies. Camelot is left in her hands, and with Morgause by her side, the Kingdom is brought under their control. One-Shot.


**The Corrupt Queen**

**Morgana Pendragon**

* * *

The new crown was exquisite; cast in pure liquid gold and bedecked with fresh cut jewels. Morgana allowed her fingers to trail along and linger on the masterful craftsmanship. It wasn't just a crown; it was a dream, a unique vision- a winding road leading to a resplendent sunrise. And somehow, against the odds, she had succeeded. For how many times had she turned away in disgust rather than watch Arthur live to see another day?

Now she need never scheme again.

Queen of Camelot. Surely, it was as unnerving a title as it was exhilarating? She was not yet able to reconcile herself with either description. For it was one thing fighting tooth and nail to claim her crown, it was quite another to take in the enormity of the task. What was required of her alone... To provide for and mould the Kingdom into shape. Even though she had seized the throne by force, a subdued Camelot would still be awaiting her sole instruction.

And being overwhelmingly unpopular, any mistake would be well noted. Indeed, the task was more than daunting. It was difficult to decide whether to embrace the hatred or to try and reason with a stricken Camelot. In the former choice lay her chance to prove her power, but in the latter, she knew was the potential for a satisfied Kingdom, free from the threat of rebellion. Underneath appearances, Morgana was not all about dominance and cruelty; she had her limits, and she was a shrewd politician.

The Reign of Terror could not go on forever, regardless of what Morgause said. Resentment was already spreading like wildfire. Nobody recognized her as the true Queen, much less willingly agreed to respect her as such. If people bowed in her direction, it was to keep their heads only. Morgause proclaimed this as a sign of acceptance; she nodded politely- but knew better.

Then there were neighboring Kings to consider. In the heat of her wickedest schemes, she had never considered the other Kingdoms, the relevance of their approval. Suddenly, here was a new problem to handle. Making allies seemed like the most natural approach, but she knew that there might be a heavy price to pay. Still, there was no doubt that shunning them might be taken as a declaration of war... Though her magic was strong, she preferred not to compromise her own safety.

Morgana let out a deep breath, slumped down into the nearest chair.

At least despite her doubts she was where she belonged. Having at least one achievement to cling to was comforting, especially when she was unsure of her steps. Touching _her_ crown meant more than its weight in gold. It was a symbol of defiance in the face of tyranny. Because who would have thought a Fay would be seated where Uther once condemned magical practices and its supporters? Fate was cunning in twisting such prejudiced lies into something positive, turning old ideas on their heads. She knew that Uther knew magic had won, despite his best efforts to purge Camelot. Her victory laid waste to twenty years of cruel folly that had cost the lives of so many.

Sorcery would rise again- in front of Uther's very eyes.

* * *

A small smile crept onto her lips, and she sat up straighter in her chair. Yes, that was the main theme of her coronation- a rebirth of the Old Religion. To convince Camelot that they had entered a bright, new- yet ancient age. An illustrious marker in the historical scrolls. They had to forget Uther and everything he stood for, and she would use his treachery as a bargaining chip in the bid for their respect, if not loyalty.

She rose promptly, flung open her doors and called for a guard.

"There is to be a general assembly, Wilfrid. I want as many people to attend as possible. Be prepared within the next hour."

Back in the privacy of her rooms, she allowed herself a peek in the mirror, newly-cut crown now sat comfortably upon her hair. Well, for a start, she definitely looked the part-slim, but alluring and domineering enough to command absolute respect... and with a flick of her wrist she could conjure an orange flame from nothing... Smiling, Morgana blew out the light and studied her face more carefully.

Upon second thoughts, there was still something that vaguely resembled Arthur within her- not physically, but in her posture. Shifting would not erase it, and frustration soon set in. It was disturbing to have the nature of her half-brother cleave to her even after she had rid Camelot of his presence. They had spent too long around each other- that was the issue…

Her rambling thoughts were interrupted by a sharp rapping on the door.

"Enter!"

It was Wilfrid, looking particularly hassled and apprehensive.

"The people are gathered, My Lady, but they grumble. Some even curse… others still invoke Arthur's name as an act of defiance. With all due respect, I wonder whether this was such a... wise idea."

"Let us see whether the will of said people can at least be brought to a more... amenable agreement, then. I have plans for this Kingdom and the rewards can be generous for those who choose me for an ally. I hate to think of what might happen if they do not. In any case," she continued, headed for the door, "What use is faith in a man who cannot be found?"

With a cunning smile, she swept off down the corridor.

* * *

Arriving in the Great Hall was unusual at first. This was only the second time she had truly seen it since her coronation. As a Ward, size and grandeur had never mattered- now she was in awe of it. Never before had she noticed the intricate artistry in the lofty ceiling, or the crystal cuts of glass in the windows. The central Throne seemed so much higher than she remembered it, and it had never occurred to her that the room could accommodate so many people.

A path was cut out for her instantaneously, and the false bowing of heads greeted her walk towards the throne where Morgause was waiting with a warm smile. Bolstered by genuine support, she hastened in her steps to be seated in front of her subjects. The view was certainly flattering, even after she caught the glares of remaining Knights who had not been able to flee with Arthur. Their anger was perhaps justified, but that was no reason not to hear her out.

Yet all of a sudden, the pulsating hostility around her froze her tongue, and she wondered whether this gathering was worth her while... Surely nobody was likely to agree- and regardless of whether she was obliged to care, there was something more enticing about having the people on her side rather than praying for Arthur's return. At that point, she considered simply executing anyone who seemed particularly resentful- just to flaunt her power, strike fear into their hearts... please Morgause. It was an easy option, well within her rights.

She cast an uncertain glance at her sister, whose triumphant smile seemed never to have wavered since Uther was dragged before her on his knees. The silent question was met with an approving nod- one gesture, and yet it was all she needed. No, there would be no more needless deaths for now, but her words of insulting encouragement… in front of _her_ Kingdom…

With renewed confidence, she rose.

* * *

"So... war-torn citizens of Camelot," she began, marveling at the steel in her voice. "Good men and women bemoaning their Fate at the hands of Morgana Pendragon. To you, I am misfortune, a traitor, a tyrant- not that any will admit it. And I suppose you have reason to hate me, just as I have reason to hate anyone who calls the old King or his son "friend"."

With quiet satisfaction, she noted the ripple of shudders flitting through her people, tilted her chin and continued:

"Your idealism has failed you, and morale is low. Arthur has been gone several weeks now, with little to no hope of his return. Now, how could I leave Camelot to descend into anarchy? I, who have lived here almost since birth and loved this citadel as though it were my own child? Consider me kind that I offer to rule over you."

She did not have to turn to know Morgause was chuckling under her breath, or use a mirror to see her own lipsticked smirk taunting her captives.

"Of course, my generous offer was met with some surprise. Who is Morgana, they asked? Was she nothing but Ward to King Uther? Where is the truth in her claim to the Throne?"

"Fools," she heard Morgause hiss.

"I suppose as your rightful Queen, I owe you an explanation. Yes, I was Morgana, Uther's faithful Ward for many years. I believed him fair and just, was grateful that he took me in after my father Gorlois' death."

"But then what did you discover, my sister?"

"I found that underneath appearances lay a man whose heart was blacker than coal, deadlier than poison. How many times did I sit idly by my window and watch a weeping victim hung or burnt for the mere crime of… magic?"

"Tyrant…"

"How many necks broken, how many living bodies toasted to a crisp, how many children drowned in wells? Too many to count. Such evil was perpetrated in this Kingdom, pretending to defend you, the people."

"Liar…"

"Why do you seem so sad now when Uther drove fear into your hearts, using any pretext to kill his own people in a pointless, paranoid war? Surly, it is a relief that one with magic is to rule the land- to eradicate past laws that have stripped you of hope and freedom?"

"You speak the truth, my sister…"

Their attention had never wavered. A sea of chalky faces met her piercing gaze, their own fear reflected back at her. Nobody moved an inch, nobody attempted to interrupt. It was as though they had frozen to a block of ice; the Great Hall suddenly seemed like a graveyard rather than an assembly. And they were right where she wanted them; defenseless and submissive.

"Wilfrid? Bring the Scrolls of Law!"

A short silence ensued during which she exchanged another smile with Morgause, who seemed to anticipate what was coming next- for the elder Fay herself whispered something that conjured up a quill and ink pot in her hands. Morgana took them off her eagerly.

"Embrace my rule. Celebrate your freedoms. Worship the Old Ways and adhere to her Customs. Respect the Triple Goddess… We enter a new age…"

* * *

Wilfrid had returned with a heavy piece of parchment, yellowed with age and bound by a fading crimson ribbon. With a bow, he unfurled the fabric against its wooden board, and held it upright.

Morgana glanced up, reveling in the trepidation she found staring back at her.

"Behold… " Her eyes swirled with liquid gold, and red sparks crackled in the air. A strange murmuring noise started, building gradually into a crescendo which brought another shower of sparks and a puff of smoke. Now a few screams were audible, restlessness- even some attempts to escape. "Silence! Cowards- do you not realize that Camelot is returning to her birth right? Magic has been the founding of this Kingdom since time immemorial. Am I not right, sister?"

"Tell them, Morgana…"

"Do you not remember Nimueh? The First Great Fay, and Court Sorceress. Yes, indeed- alas, her foolish love for Uther drove her to wild lengths to procure a son for him. It is Arthur Pendragon I speak of."

Another malevolent hiss from Morgause.

"Uther's wild desire for a son led him to consult our kind, and in doing so, my innocent mother Ygraine had to die."

"Murderer…"

"I see astonishment upon your faces! Can it be that Uther never told you of his terrible shortcomings? Truth be told, Arthur was unaware of the circumstances of his birth, too."

"But I tried to show him!"

"You did, sister, but Uther was saved from the death he deserved- and free to continue his reign of terror upon us, driving magic from the land and forcing our kind into hiding with his enraged lies. In the early days, few were saved…"

"Except I."

"Indeed- when Uther learned that Ygraine had other children by Gorlois, Morgause was naturally his next target. She was saved by the Physician Gaius. But what of Elaine (1)?"

"We do not know what became of her… Although it is clear that Uther is to blame for her misfortune. And dear Gorlois, who fought so bravely in Uther's battles was abandoned, hacked to death by vicious bandits. What of I, Morgana, you ask?"

* * *

"Yes, what happened to you?"

"Uther decided to take pity on me after Gorlois death. I fell for his honeyed version of the tragedy, and was glad of a home. I came to love Camelot, and its people. I even came to love the young Arthur Pendragon as though he were my own brother. (2)"

"Foolish days…"

"Little did I know I was closer to the truth than I realized. Many years passed, and when my eyes were opened from the blindness of privilege to Uther's ways, I realized I could not condone his heartless slaughter of sorcerers. I spoke up whenever possible, often without Arthur's help."

"Coward… Then came Mordred."

"A young Druid boy, mercilessly pursued by Uther's bloodthirsty guards. What could I do? I took him in, sensing a deeper connection to this innocent child. He was ill, and I took care of him, with the help of those I once considered friends."

A dark thought was spared in Merlin and Guinevere's regard, until she quelled the memory of her betrayal and continued on with her prose.

"Of course, under Uther, kindness could not last. His son found me trying to smuggle the child away. Yet though he turned me in, this was one of the few occasions where his conscience overcame his actions. Yes, Mordred lives today thanks to Arthur Pendragon."

"If only he had remained so…"

"Once he was kind, Morgause… Elsewhere, my pleas got me nowhere- once I was even chained by that barbarian for daring to condemn the death of an innocent blacksmith. It was then that I first plotted to take this evil King's life…"

"Your first hint of enlightenment, dear sister."

"My plan failed- I was fooled by his slimy promises and thwarted his murder at the last minute. Life returned to normal- the murders continued, and my dissent was constrained."

"And then, tell them of how you came to find yourself, Morgana- tell them!"

Here, her smile hardened- this was a raw memory, and one that had irreversibly changed the course of her life. She had lost count of the number of times she had revisited those scenes, wondered whether she could have changed course, done something differently to evade the troubling memories that came flooding afterwards. Most of all, she wished she had not been held entirely in the hands of others who tried to placate her, fool her, rejected her when she had shown them nothing but kindness beforehand…

"Nightmares… Nightmares that were fulfilled soon afterwards in real life. Do you know what terror I lived in? Suspicions clouded my mind at first- but they were simply manufactured to cover the glaring truth. That I had powers that mere mortals could not begin to comprehend. I could break things, re-shape them, throw objects backwards and conjure anything out of thin air. I was extraordinarily powerful—yet constrained by this odious law."

"You sought help, my dear sister…"

"I trusted those around me to take care, protect me from Uther but help me understand. In particular, one young boy named-"

"Mer—lin…"

Instead of the pent-up rage she hope to conjure in her mind, she was only greeted by images of a wide smile and sunny eyes like the sea… The dreams had been worse when she had bedded a young Courtier the previous night, hoping to produce a son. His face had wafted into her vision in the heat of her lovemaking, taunting her, teasing her until she had cried out in agonized ecstasy because of him… and not her current conquest. Angry and humiliated, she had immediately wished herself asleep in the aftermath, hoping that the incident was to be the last.

* * *

Clearly that was not the case. She suddenly sounded unsure when resuming her narrative:

"He… I believed him a more trustworthy companion than Arthur, perhaps more understanding than my former maidservant, though we were friends. You see, he was from Ealdor, unlikely to be influenced by Uther's cruelty. In desperation, I ran to him…"

"And he sent you off to the Druids, instead of confirming your fears."

"Well… maybe he might have done so…"

"Nonsense, the boy was as impressionable as the rest of them! And do not forget how he continually meddled in our later plans, prolonging our path to the Throne through devious means."

Morgana nodded meekly, but bit her lips. Yes, she had to remember that Merlin had been constant hindrance from the start, that his actions were reckless- even callous. And of course, his insistence upon defending Arthur had been nothing if not extremely frustrating.

"You are right, Morgause- as usual. It was at the Camps that I became reacquainted with the young Mordred and I spent time with the Druid people. I respected their customs and familiarized myself with their spells. It was an informative time- sadly- not to last."

"And what happened next?"

"The Witchfinder, Aredian. This callous spawn of Satan infiltrated Camelot for a brief, but frightening time for me. Claiming extraordinary powers of exposing sorcerers, I was confined to my Chambers for many days, fearing that I would be found out. Then, my own questioning came- and the guilt shone from my eyes. He knew of my secret, and almost revealed my true identity to Uther."

"Somehow, he came to a mysterious and ungainly end."

"And rightly so. I was badly shaken, but relieved to see another day. Then a strange fact occurred to me; Aredian had correctly identified me as a sorceress. He had correctly identified Gaius as a sorcerer. But it was not only us who he threatened to have burnt at the stake- it was Merlin, too. Did that mean…?"

"An understandable deduction, sister. But this boy was so guileless, so idealistic and careless in his ways- I confess that I still have my doubts…"

"Nevertheless, it is unimportant. If he has magic, where is he now?"

"Indeed! Subsequently, I decided to return to Camelot and plunge a dagger into Uther's mouldy heart through his son, Arthur. In truth, I had no need to come- I was married to King Lot of Orkney, had three sons by him. Agravain, Gareth and Gaheris (3)- still young when I left them."

"A difficult choice, but necessary for our cause."

"You are right, Morgana- I decided to study with the exiled Nimueh, learn her craft whilst I could. She taught me many things about the Old Camelot, of Gorlois and Ygraine's Fate. A desire for revenge boiled within me; I would have raised an army there and then to vanquish this murderous King."

"You should have, sister."

"Perhaps. Then Nimueh informed me of my sisters- Elaine born after me. And a younger girl- Morgan. My search for Elaine was in vain- there was no sign of her. It may be that she is dead. I grew discouraged, saddened by her presumed loss. Then in the midst of tears, I remembered the younger sibling… Now, I had a cause- to destroy Uther and to find the last of our family."

"I knew that you seemed familiar when you came to visit me…"

"And why not? Are we not of the same flesh and blood? With that mission accomplished, I set about spinning the web for Uther's downfall, humiliating Arthur in combat and committing him to a secret Quest where he would find out the true circumstances of his birth."

"You almost succeeded!"

"Yes- but victory was snatched from my path. It was time to think again."

"Then Mordred arrived in Camelot with another Druid named Alvarr. I was persuaded to steal the Crystal of Neyide and thus bring destruction to Camelot. Again, these plans were prevented from coming to fruition- Uther stepped in and sentenced Alvarr to death."

"But you helped him escape, sister!"

"And it was at the crucial moment that I came to hate Uther Pendragon."

* * *

"Finally, you had been enlightened, and such news brought me great joy."

"As he raged about the escape of Alvarr, I saw him for the deranged criminal that he was. I turned in disgust, vowing that from now on, I would seize any chance to be rid of him once and for all."

"But you doubted that another suitable chance would present itself!"

"Until you returned and summoned me to your Cave. For you had rekindled the Fires of Idirsholas and with me as the vassal for your spell, Camelot sunk into a deep sleep. Of course, none of you will remember that…"

They shared a cunning chuckle.

"Here the boy Merlin features again… At first, I trusted him not to reveal me to Arthur- there were certain discrepancies in my story, for I was unaffected by this lethargic spell. Somehow, he turned against me…"

"Keep calm, sister- he cannot harm you now…"

She took a deep breath, unclenched her fingers. It was in the past, that image of her squirming in Merlin's arms as she choked and wheezed her final breaths… Her staring into his eyes, powerless to demand an explanation for his treachery. The light from the windows turning into utter darkness… her cries growing hoarse and her eyes rolling within their sockets… And throughout her pain, she knew this was Merlin's doing. The same person she had considered trustworthy, a genuine and reliable friend.

Maybe, if they had been allowed, something more could have developed…

She blinked to dispel further images of moments they had stared at each other for longer than was appropriate, times when they had stood too close, instances where they were a hair's breadth away from kissing…

"You are right, Morgause," she replied through gritted teeth after an awkward silence. "And of course, it is more important to note that you saved me in the Monastery. (4)"

"Yes- tell them of the Monastery- of the great things we accomplished there!"

* * *

Here, her smile widened once more as she recounted her awe at this hidden bastion of magic, locked away in the icy mountains of The Wastelands. A desolate plain called Grinchingoul where untold mysteries of magic were revealed. How she had loved waking up under crystal windowpanes, watching incense float through the air, and strange objects levitating in mid-air. What long hours she had spent in the library with Morgause, eagerly soaking up knowledge. They had pored through Scroll after Scroll- sometimes, she had even dropped off to sleep under piles of parchment…

The scribes and sorcerers had been intrigued and delighted to learn of this latest recruit into their lair. Everyone had treated her courteously, instilled in her a desire for revenge, and a love of her true self. And now, narrating this to her subjects, she realized one crucial fact: Camelot had to become like the Monastery. These wonderful secrets had to be revealed and practices far and wide without fear.

"… Then, Morgause told me I had learned enough- more than was expected, in fact. It was now that my knowledge be put to good use- to rid Camelot of Uther's malign influence and prevent Arthur from succeeding him. And this time, it would not be enough to simply remove all barriers- the Throne was to be mine. And why not? I am older than Arthur and Uther had treated me as his own daughter. It MUST be mine! Once convinced of this fact, I was eager to return with Morgause' help."

"The plans we thought up…"

"First, there had to be a convincing reason for my return. I was most effective in thinking one up, accompanied with tears, and a false reconciliation with my enemy. If you had been there, good citizens, you would have seen me smiling as I left his presence. In fact, you were to see me smiling a lot more for someone who had just suffered a great ordeal at the hand of bandits…"

"You smirked so often I feared you might give the game away, sister!"

"How could I not feel satisfied with my handiwork? How could I not feel encouraged that the age of Uther was coming to an end?"

"Tell them about the Mandrake Root-"

"Yes- it was to drive Uther insane, thus declaring him unfit for rule, at which point we would advance with an army and raze this citadel to the ground. Alas, we did not succeed- but I am sure you were very much shaken by this callous disruption to your lives?"

Nobody dared to answer.

* * *

"And so it went on, searching for any little way of eradicating our enemies, with many setbacks suffered along the way. I was often frustrated, even discouraged. At times, my own life was threatened."

"Still, you continued to believe in our cause, which is why we stand here today."

"I am coming to that part. It began to occur to me that the attraction between Arthur and my maidservant was growing stronger by the day. We saw an opportunity to exploit this weakness, also using Guinevere's brother."

"It was an excellent plan."

"Arthur could hardly contain his concern for the girl and appear nonchalant in front of his father. That is what I call, emotional manipulation- and it worked perfectly."

"I worked with King Cenred of Fyrien-"

"In more ways than one, is that not so? (5)" she added drily.

"Let us say that he had his uses…"

"You over-indulged yourself, sister. I always considered him a liability, but you did not heed my warnings."

"He did us no harm, Morgana. You were paranoid, and keen to finish the job, which was commendable. However, without Cenred, we would have been hard-pressed to find a set of tunnels to entrap your dear half-brother…"

She nodded, conceding the point. There were more important things to consider- like how the roof had managed to cave in so suddenly just when they were on the verge of sealing the Prince's Fate. And again, she remembered that Merlin had been present during this strange twist of events…

"After we failed once again, I sunk into a rage for many days. Morgause had returned to Orkney to see her sons, and I felt alone. Yes, you think me cold-hearted, but I am no less human than the rest of you. I am simply devoid of self-righteousness, or reckless idealism and superstition. Gwen had become a stranger to me, Mordred had disappeared and Uther still sat upon the Throne. I feigned smiles to keep up appearances, but inside, I was seething, and desperate for a chance to kill Arthur."

"Sometimes, you even woke in the middle of the night, dagger in hand, resolving to do the deed yourself."

"Courage failed me at every turn. Even with magic, I could not quite envisage doing the deed. I suppose you might conclude that there was still some sisterly affection within me for the very person who threatened my right to the Throne."

"But when I returned, you renewed your Faith. We plotted in the marketplace upon hearing that Arthur was to embark on a Quest to prove his worth."

* * *

That amulet might have done the job if she hadn't glanced out of her window one day to find Arthur riding back into Camelot, unscathed. What a shock! And again, what a complete mystery… She remembered debating whether some of Nimueh's magic was left inside the Prince, fighting her own, but quickly discounted that theory. What had stuck in her mind was bumping into Merlin in the corridors later that afternoon, glaring at him… before realizing that he had been absent from the Castle the past few days.

The same number of days Arthur had departed on his Quest. Could he possibly have…?

There was no telling.

"What happened next, sister?"

"More nightmares- this time of my former maidservant… sitting upon the Throne… next to none other than Arthur Pendragon. It was terrifying. I summoned Morgause as soon as I could, and recounted the dream to her. Could it be that a serving girl would rise to preside over the Kingdom? I knew that the laws of the land would surely prohibit such thing, but the strength of my dreams frightened me greatly."

"I told you what you must do…"

"Again, exploiting Arthur's feelings for her, I conspired to have them caught by Uther- in flagrante delicto."

"Was it amusing, dear sister?"

"Very. It seemed that now they were alone together, Arthur wished to ravish the young girl. I almost laughed aloud when I caught sight of Uther's face… watching the gratuitous groping and caressing… (6)"

"I should have been there!"

"Fate was on my side, and I used magic as a bargaining tool to arrange Guinevere's execution. Naturally, Arthur was distraught- suddenly, he announced a renunciation of the Throne. Could it be that I had won?"

"Sadly not."

"A strange old sorcerer appeared, calling himself Dragoon The Great. I was sure he seemed achingly familiar, but could not place him. I listened with the greatest surprise as he took full responsibility for Gwen possessing a magical poultice! What could I do but watch helplessly as the girl was released, and Arthur relieved?"

"Finally, though, came our chance."

* * *

"The Cup of Life, without which I would not be standing here before you. A fierce battle raged within Camelot, and you were fearful for your lives. With my sister's undead army, we defeated your men and swarmed the town. We marched towards the Throne room, and captured Uther Pendragon."

"At last!"

"This tyrant was forced to his Knees in front of Morgause, a pathetic spectacle of outrage and arrogance. It was then that I revealed my true colours with a satisfied, proud smile. I seized the Crown and reveled in its feel on my head- where it belonged. I sentenced Uther to jail though Arthur escaped my clutches, the Kingdom was finally mine."

She allowed a dramatic pause as her subjects took in the enormity of her path to power. They trembled, shuddered, cast fleeting glances at each other. Surely none of them had been expecting such an extraordinary tale- perhaps they thought she had simply woken one day and decided to dispose of Uther. They definitely could not have expected the pain and frustration she had felt, nor how they had been deceived by their former King. She had dealt them a more stunning blow with this knowledge than when she had even announced her true allegiance little more than two days ago.

"It will not stop here, my people. I will have a son, and he shall rule in my stead. Morgause will be Court Sorceress, just as in the old days. All mentions of Uther are hereby prohibited, and his effigy is to be burnt in the streets. I will invite the Druids back to their lands, and inform the sorcerers of Grinchingoul that they are once again free."

"Neighbouring Kings will fear my name, and think twice before crossing me," she added, with more confidence than before. "And you, the citizens, will obey my every word as though your lives depended upon it. If you have magic, you will be grateful for my first Decree. You will rejoice that I turn my back upon Uther's ways. Hence the Scroll in my hand. Should I erase its words, sister?"

"Erase it, Morgana- rid us of the filth of twenty years!"

"And so I shall."

She smiled to note the scroll was still smoking, and sat back on her Throne, quill in hand. In long, deliberate strokes, a new Decree was created, ink glistening on the empty parchment. From the foundation of one reign, new words were formed and inscribed into law:

_"…hereby to declare the usage of Magick legal in Camelot, and its opponents to be punished for the years of misery and murders they have upon their hands. To declare unwavering respect for the Old Religion and her feast-days, worship of the Triple Goddess, and one allegiance to Morgana of Gorlois and Igraine… Now to be known as Morgana Le Fay…"_

"Excellent," Morgause whispered over her shoulder. "Behold the law, citizens of Camelot. Heed and obey! Long Live The Queen!"

The chorus was unhesitant and reverberated into every nook and cranny of the Great Hall:

"Long Live The Queen! Long Live The Queen! Long Live The Queen!"

And Morgana smiled, for she knew her work was done.

* * *

**FINIS**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

1- Elaine was the second daughter of Ygraine and Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, in the legends of King Arthur.

2- In this story, Morgana is not Uther's true daughter, but she did view Arthur as her brother.

3- In "Le Morte D'Arthur" by Thomas Malory, Morgause was the mother of Agravain, Gareth and Gaheris by Lot of Orkney. Is it then assumed that Morgause is quite a bit older than Morgana at this point.

4- Again, in the legends, Morgan Le Fay is said to have spent time in the Monastery learning the most wicked practices. I use this to explain where she disappeared to after 2x12. "Grinchingoul" (also used in "The Deceased Returned" and "The Death of Morgana Pendragon" is an invented place, as is "The Wastelands". The details of the Monastery are also invented.

5- I have never really been interested in the Cenred/Morgause ship, but I thought it made an amusing addition.

6- The sexual nature of Arthur and Gwen's tryst is me using a LOT of poetic licence. Because I'm like that.

Mentions to Merlin's magic are kept vague, although Morgana clearly has her suspicions. Some details of the episodes are omitted, because I don't think Morgana would have recalled them.

I haven't yet read a fic exploring an alternative scenario of what happened after Morgana seized the throne in 3x12, so I thought it would be an interesting character study to invent one myself. Toni Morrison said that if you want to read a book that hasn't been written yet, you must write it… so here it is!


End file.
